Family is Family
by Louisa taylor
Summary: AU Lots of one-shots,Severitus,Harry is neglected by the Dursley's because to them he is a freak and a dummy. Autistic Harry adopted by Severus who gives up spying deciding that Harry needs him more, Slightly Manipulative Dumbledore, Good Severus, Not-so-blind-anymore Minerva.
1. Chapter 1

Family is Family

Chapter One

A/N I have decided to do a few One-Shots to regain one's writing mojo, it is not easy to ask for help but I am asking for help and paragraphs of this story. Suggestion's will be noted and taken on board but out and out abusive criticisms and flaming will be deleted. You have been warned: Severus has adopted an Autistic Harry and has given up spying. Dumbledore is not happy and keeps trying to manipulate his way back into Harry's good graces. Harry realises this and fully embraces his new adopted Slytherin side with a twist.

"Dad!" Harry called out "Dad!" Severus stormed through to his private lab to find Harry against the wall in a full-blown panic attack with his fingers in his ears. "It turned Green! The Potion is Green!" Severus sat Harry down on the floor and gently pried his fingers from his ears as he rubbed his back. "You cut yourself, why wasn't my apprentice keeping an eye on you while you cut the ingredients?" A tear ran down Harry's cheek "He called me a 'Spastic Retard!' and said he had b-better things to do!"

"He, what!"

Severus stormed out to the class-room laboratory and grabbed Nott's ear dragging him back to his quarters "Get off me!" Nott screeched. Snape hissed and threw the 7th year in front of Harry who backed up to the wall in fear.

"How dare you call my son a retard! You, stuck-up ignoramus!"

"What, I didn't say any-thing and you can't prove I did?" Nott sneered at Harry. Harry shouted back "You did, you, absolute fibber, you did!" Severus grabbed Nott's ears painfully again "Apologise to my son or find yourself in detention for the rest of your last year!" Nott screamed out "I'm Sorry!" Severus let go of Nott's ears and threw him out "There, that wasn't so hard. By the way, my son is on the autistic spectrum, go to the muggle world and bloody-well read up on it before you say anything more!" Severus signalled Blaise Zabini, to take over for a while and Blaise did so gladly. "If you need me to come out and help, don't hesitate, I am your professor and will be glad to." Blaise nodded "How is Harry, has he calmed down?" Blaise asked with genuine concern "He has, he is now taking a short nap on my couch, remember I am just through the door, Blaise, alright?" Blaise signalled he understood and took over the class proficiently.

Harry woke up and rubbed his eyes to find his dad napping on the armchair opposite. He wandered out to find Blaise working on the draught of peace that he had mucked up earlier. "Alright, squirt?" Blaise rubbed the top of Harry's head. "How is my p-potion now, Blaise?" Blaise handed the stirrer to Harry and guided him "It's no longer green, Harry, now just stir clockwise three times and once anti-clockwise." Blaise smiled proudly as Harry did as he directed. "See that mother of pearl sheen, it is perfect, Harry, you really are much better than before in your potions, you just needed help" Harry grinned at the praise and hugged Blaise who after a while returned the hug, smiling.

"Now why don't you go and wake up the professor, so he can help you finish off your essay. Remember to consult your dictionary with any difficult words and remember your grammar, okay?" Harry nodded once and ran off back to his father's personal office to wake him. "Daddy!" Harry shook awake his father who rubbed his eyes and grabbed his son tickling him. "You look happy, did Blaise help you get it right?" Harry nodded and pointed his wand at the kettle. "Would you like a coffee, daddy?" Severus nodded and got up to go and wash his face to wake himself properly. Severus ached from his nap in the armchair and was sipping his coffee when his colleague, Minerva, stepped through to his quarters. "Oh, Severus, I am so glad you are awake, Mr Weasley and Mr Malfoy engaged in a fist fight, from what I understand, Mr Weasley was being mean about Harry living here and Draco proudly defended you and Harry." Severus looked up at Minerva in alarm as Harry walked in with his potions homework. His little face dropped in disappointment as he had heard everything. Minerva was heartbroken by this and went to hug Harry who started sobbing. "Aunt-Minnie? why does Ron hate my daddy? who has not neglected me and not abused me, Ron has a loving family and I am not allowed!" Harry started to hyperventilate as he squeezed his eyes shut in panic.

"Och no, ma wee bairn, he doesn't hate your daddy, he has been brought up to believe that Slytherins in general are evil, through and through, but you don't believe that and neither do I, now wipe you face with the hanky you have in your pocket and try to do some of your homework, okay?" Harry stopped crying and wiped his face then he gave his daddy a hug and settled down at the desk. Severus looked at Harry and stood "Are they in the Headmaster's office, Minerva?" Severus' colleague nodded "I will get Blaise to watch over you for a little while, Harry, set your clock for half an hour and I will be back before then, okay?" Harry set his alarm on his special talking clock and Severus followed Minerva to the Headmaster's office.

-Line Break-

"This is unacceptable behaviour, Mister Weasley, it matters not the provocation or the slight that Mister Malfoy made towards you and your family!" Severus hissed at the hot-headed young boy. "Harry does not have a family, a mother or a father or siblings where as you have five brothers and one sister. You ought to consider yourself lucky that you have loving parents who love all of you equally!"

Weasley, being the hot-tempered lad, he obviously was, could not keep his mouth shut "And so what, Harry is rich and famous, I find it hard to believe he doesn't know about the millions he is going to inherit! And there's little old Ron Weasley, the third wheel, whose parents are poor as church mice, I have had hand-me-downs too! It's so embarrassing!" Severus and Minerva looked down at the young boy in shock, even Dumbledore was disappointed by the vile things spilling from the red-head's mouth.

"Mr Malfoy, will you please leave my office? I am deducting 50 points from Slytherin and you will serve detention with your head of house, you will write one-hundred lines stating this. 'I will control my temper and not react to mindless insults' Is that understood?" Malfoy nodded and left the office hastily and Ron Weasley sat defiantly with his arms crossed, suddenly looking smug. "I don't know why you are looking so smug, Mr Weasley, I am suspending you for three months!" Dumbledore waved a hand as a signal that the young man should hold his tongue "You will hold your tongue, Mr Weasley, any word from you now will see you suspended for the rest of your term. I have warned you about your temper before, Mr Weasley and it has not yet sunk in. Further-more, before you leave, you will apologise to Harry before you leave with your mother, sincerely!" Dumbledore looked at Minerva and Severus. "Is this agreeable to yourselves?" They both nodded relieved that the boy's punishment would be carried out to the letter. "Severus, can you fetch Harry for me and I will call Molly here to enforce the apology?" Severus nodded and fetched Harry. Molly arrived looking flustered. "What is the meaning of this, Dumbledore?"

"Your son will be apologising to Harry and his father for his insults towards Slytherin House. I have had to suspend him for fighting yet again, this is his last chance, Molly, he gets three months suspension and if he doesn't learn to control his temper, I am afraid that the suspension will stand until he comes back to school for his fourth year. Young Harry is very troubled, he is struggling to fit in and comments from your son has caused the young lad to retreat inside his shell. Autism is still a misunderstood mental health condition in the muggle world let alone here at Hogwarts. There have, been horrible prejudiced word used like "Retard" or even "Spastic" by your son and your son cornered Harry, the other day, frightening the life out of him." Ron shouted out "It wasn't just me, it was also Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan!"

Dumbledore and Minerva gave Ronald a piercing look as Severus walked in with Harry. "Harry?" Severus said gently "Is this the boy who picked on you and frightened you, two days ago?" Harry nodded once and started wringing his hands in anxiety. "Harry, look at me, calm your breathing" Harry looked up and squeezed his eyes shut then he opened them again, practicing his breathing technique. "Yes, Daddy, it w-wasn't just Red though, it was brown and the white with the freckles and the f-funny a-accent." Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and counted to ten "Minerva, can you fetch Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan?" Ronald stood up and approached Harry whose eyes widened as he became 'ball-harry' Ron Weasley was shocked and dismayed by what his bullying had caused and said gently "Hey, Harry, I am so sorry, I am a jealous fool and I let my pride get in the way of what should have been a good friendship. I know your dad loves you. If he didn't, he wouldn't have adopted you. I shouldn't have said those awful things about your family being disappointed in you. I reckon that they would be just as happy as you are that you are safe, warm and loved. Will you please let me make up for my foolishness and come over to your dad's place now and then? I could teach you Wizard chess if you like?" Harry started to un-ball. He smiled brightly as his dad lifted him to his feet. "I-I would really like that, Red, friend" Ron nodded smiling as he shook Harry's hand. "Hello, Harry, it is good to see you again, do you remember me?" Harry nodded as Molly smiled "Yes, nice red-haired lady who helped me….um…..get to the H.E platform between platforms nine and ten, M-Molly!" Molly hugged Harry gently knowing he was not used to being hugged and stood up.

"Ron, you are going to be spending your days helping me clean and cook. During the evening, you will do some serious study-time and Percy will be helping you!" Ron grimaced and gave an apologetic look to Severus for his mother's infamous screeching.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Understanding Autism

Teddy Nott, a seventh year was sulking like a toddler as he stuck tissue in his nose. Draco had forced him to comply with Professor Snape's demand. Draco, when he had first met Harry in his first year at Hogwarts had found the young raven-haired boy a little strange. But he knew that Harry had been abused by his muggle relative's, so he had made a very, good effort by reading muggle psychology books about the mental health condition of Asperger's and autism, Draco diligently and intently read over articles in a medical journal from the muggle world. When Draco found out that Theodore Nott had left his friend unsupervised and called him those horrid names. Draco had punched Nott in the nose for being prejudiced against those with Autism.

Draco sat Theodore Nott with his muggle psychology books and the Autistic spectrum chart and forced him at wand point to read them. "You will read all of them, Nott, I had the decency to look up Autism and you are supposed to be a seventh-year apprentice and head-boy. Damn well, act like it!"

Draco called Pansy over to the desk and asked her to take over supervision. Pansy had taken to Harry right away as they were very similar. Pansy had Global Development Delay and High functioning Autism, but the condition only affected her social skills, not her intelligence, Pansy had an IQ of 130 above her years and her magical core was strong.

Draco found Harry practicing his meditation and mindfulness in the Slytherin boy's dorm.

"Hello Draco" Harry said without opening his eyes "D-Do you want to join me?" Draco grinned and sat down beside him as he adopted the same position. Draco closed his eyes for five minutes and felt momentarily dizzy as he opened them again. "We have Transfiguration in twenty minutes, you need to eat, Harry"

"Just give me five more minutes to calm my mind?" Draco smiled and drawled out "If you get any-more, calmer, you will fall asleep." Draco fell silent for a moment. "Are you still upset about Nott and Weasley?"

Harry opened his eyes. "R-Red didn't know any better, Nott should have known better but I-I bet he has never ventured into the muggle world. At least I can say that you made the conscious effort."

"Do you ever wish that you had a normal life, no learning difficulties, no stupid moniker, it must be frustrating to realise that, sometimes, if your relatives had accepted you as being magic, life wouldn't have been twice as hard"

Harry nodded slowly "L-Look at my life now, Draco. To be p-perfectly honest, I am glad that Dumbledore discovered the truth otherwise, I would not have a great adopted dad now."

"That is true, Harry, I am warning you to be careful of Weasley's intentions. Listen to your instincts" Harry narrowed his eyes at the blonde Slytherin prince. "No, I am not saying, don't be an acquaintance or a decent friend, just watch yourself, is all" Harry nodded again and heard his stomach grumble. Harry giggled "I am definitely, h-hungrier than I thought, let's eat!"

The two made their way to the great hall for some light lunch and as soon as Hermione spotted them, she started screeching at Harry for getting Ron suspended. Harry covered his ears and Hermione tried to pull his hands away from his ears. Harry scrambled away from her under the Slytherin table and stayed there rocking back and forth in distress.

"Miss Granger!" Minerva McGonagall looked at the young muggle-born in outrage as she swept down to the Slytherin table. "Miss Granger, I am very disappointed in you, miss granger, for bullying and distressing Harry with your shouting. I am assigning you to a detention with Professor Snape and that will be fifty points from Gryffindor. Mister Weasley has apologised to Harry for his behaviour and has accepted his suspension. Now go back to your table and do some serious thinking about the behaviour that you have just displayed." Hermione pouted and stamped her foot. "I will not! Harry is supposed to be in Gryffindor with myself and Ronald, not with this lot of snobs!" She stamped her foot in defiance. The glare from Draco and Minerva quelled her further rant and she looked scared as she went off back to the Gryffindor table. Draco looked at Minerva with admiration and something akin to respect. "Thank you, Professor, I was just going to stop her with a silencing spell. Merlin, she is loud!"

"I think I have just figured that out, Mister Malfoy. Has Harry been meditating and clearing his mind?" Draco nodded

"He did a twenty-minute mindfulness session in the boy's dorm and now, Granger has just set him back another day."

Minerva nodded thoughtfully and bent down to watch Harry twitching nervously. "Harry" she said softly "Miss granger has gone now."

Harry looked up in anxiety and repeated "Screeching girl is g-gone?"

"Yes, Harry, can you come out from under there? You have my class in ten minutes. I have your lesson plan for you, so you aren't too panicked, and we will set aside an hour for you to help you catch up with your homework. Is this suitable for you, Harry?"

"Yes, Auntie Minnie" Harry ducked his head out cautiously and fully emerged from under the table. "Sorry about that, I-I tend to disappear in my mind, it's my quiet place, my-my…." Harry could not find the word he was looking for, so Draco looked in his Thesaurus "Your sanctuary" Harry nodded, smiling and Minerva smiled with understanding. "That's okay, Harry. Now, you two, go to class and I will see you there shortly."

She quickly made her way to the headmaster's office and spoke the password. The Gargoyle jumped aside, and she went up the spiral stairs, knocking on the headmaster's office door. "Can I help you, Minerva?"

"Yes, Headmaster, I am furious with Hermione Granger and you!" Dumbledore sat up and took notice "Did you tell that impressionable young girl that you were disappointed in Harry for being in Slytherin?!"

"I said no such thing, Minerva!" Dumbledore blustered "Swear it on your oath as a wizard!" Dumbledore looked down defeated and held his wand up, he swore on his magic that he had no influence over miss granger, his wand lit up with a bright blue light, proving that the old wizard was telling the truth.

"Do you have no faith in me anymore? Minerva" Albus looked up with wet eyes.

"I used to think you were wise and a little bit barmy. But this whole farce about forcing Harry to dance to your tune will not gain his trust. You may have had your own reasons, Albus, but I told you over and over about the Dursley's, you refused to listen and now we all have to deal with the consequences of the abuse he suffered."

"I can't go back and repair what has been done, Minerva, I will, however, try my best to make up for the abuse he suffered. At the very least, Severus has adopted Harry and is a very good father-figure. I supported his application for a legal adoption of Harry Potter because they need each other, to heal, to bond. In the end, I am very glad that Harry ended up in Slytherin because he might just heal the house rivalry that has been raging for years in this ancient school."

"It may do, Albus, one can only hope." Albus smiled gently. "Now was there anything else, my dear?"

"Yes, Mister Malfoy mentioned that when he read some textbooks from the muggle world, he came across several references to learning support assistants in specialist schools for children with extra learning needs. Is there any possible way to appeal to the board of governors for an individual needs class assistant for the sake of Harry, he would need a state of special needs that matches him to a particular learning assistance, the fifth years are very over-stretched, they have their OWL Exams and are probably quite exhausted from the extra work-load. We will write letters of support to the board of governors for this motion to be carried through."

"This may be our only re-course, Minerva. I shall start the advertising after I get the approval from the board."

Minerva swept from the Headmaster's office doing a little victory dance in her head.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N Does anybody wonder at the phrase "The ink is dry, it cannot be unwritten" well I was thinking about the storyline in the Harry Potter Books and Hermione's use of a time turner, they still did not clear Sirius' good name until the day he died. Just like the titanic sinking, or the holocaust, it cannot be undone but the lessons that can be learnt from this are unending and timeless.

Chapter 3

Small Mercies

Harry Potter-Snape did everything in order. His school-work planner was filled with reminders, lesson plans and he always carried around his special alarm clock to remind him when he had to go to his next class. He was very good at setting this for a specific time and looking in his school-work planner. Sometimes his plans would work out for the best, the loud noises in the great hall of Hogwarts school still disturbed him a great deal and last week the granger girl tried to bully him again into going back to the Gryffindor common room with her. Draco had stepped in quickly and reminded her that he was responsible for looking out for Harry and that Harry wouldn't be going anywhere without him. Draco had smirked as the young girl stormed off. Draco had thought very carefully and had come up with a support group for any member of any house that felt they were on the autistic spectrum, even Theodore Nott Junior had got on-board after a little while. Severus, Harry's adopted father had looked over the plans for the support group and immediately sought out approval from Professor Dumbledore who kept looking at the young Mr Malfoy as if seeing a new person in his place.

 _*Flashback* "Mister Malfoy, this is impressive and very thoughtful of you. You must have given this subject a great deal of thought and sensitivity that it needs." Draco smiled "I want you to understand, Headmaster, this is not a group where I will invite everyone, although we will, as a group, raise awareness of the condition of autism by giving speeches in the great hall. This will not be another opportunity for those who want to stare at Harry and the scar on his head or for ridiculous fangirls to get their kicks. I am including Ginny Weasley in that assessment whose fawning over Harry is obscene and unbecoming for a girl of a pureblood family. That Granger girl tried to corner Harry last week and she started to screech at Harry again, she was trying to scare and bully him. If she is going to remain at this school, why doesn't she have the wizarding etiquette lessons for muggle-born students that I know are available?" Albus' eyebrows rose to new heights as he considered the possibility. "Another thing, sir, why don't you do something about the prejudiced attitude towards Slytherin, if you want to preach "the greater good" sir, then talk to the Gryffindors and the other houses about their conviction that all Slytherin's are evil. We are not evil or death-eaters in training." *End Flashback*_

That was it, it clicked with the Headmaster Dumbledore as he finally understood why Severus was defending his snakes and why there needed to be more understanding and proper awareness of the mental health condition, Autism, in case they received anymore students with Autism.

Draco was smiling as he ran to the library to find Harry. "Harry!" Draco was breathless as he sat down next to his best friend. "H..Hello, Draco, why are you happy all of a sudden?"

"Dumbledore approved the support group and it includes all houses of Hogwarts. We are also going to have a Saturday club in the room of requirement that includes art therapy, woodwork, pottery, mindfulness and meditation. We will also have someone to supervise the club and the group. I have written to my father to ask the board of governors for more funding. We need more specialist teaching assistants and new equipment."

"That is good, excellent, smashing, Draco! You have, done it!"

"What are you working on, Harry?" Draco asked kindly.

"It is the History of Magic Essay" Harry suddenly looked down as he gulped and felt his anxiety build up "Pro-Professor Cuthbert Binns screeched at me and said it was totally W.R.O.N.G then he deliberately knocked over my inkpot over my essay and I have to do the whole thing over again." Harry burst into tears as he wrung his hands.

"Damn him!" Draco lost it and grabbed Harry's essay before marching straight back up to the headmaster's office with Harry running after him. "Draco! Stop!" Draco spat out the password to the Gargoyle then marched up the spiral stairs, he banged loudly on the door and it opened "Mister Malfoy, twice in one day!"

"Yes, Harry has something to tell you about Professor Binns" Dumbledore looked at Harry and raised his eyebrow.

"Go ahead, Harry, I am not having a ghost discriminate openly against my best mate!"

Harry's mouth went dry and he suddenly flushed as he struggled to get the words out, he started to hyperventilate.

Draco looked on in horror as Harry started to 'ball' up but Dumbledore having seen this before, ran to the young boy and sat him up. "Look at me, Harry, that's it, now cup your hands around your mouth and breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Ten breaths, Harry."

"I should get Professor Snape!" Draco ran out of the Headmaster's door and came back with Harry's adoptive father in less than ten minutes.


End file.
